The Time Alchemist: A Multiverse Tale
by Bill Friday
Summary: Central College, the best academy in amestris has faced dissaperences of its students, and Jonah Mason, an abitious young alchemist wants nothing to with it, only graduate and pursue his goals; at least untill he runs in to the odd new professor that happens to be investigating the missing students, and travels in a red police box. Main characters are purely OC's.
1. Quantum Alchemy

I do not own Doctor Who or Fullmetal Alchemist, or other works that will be included later on in the story.

* * *

**Quantum Alchemy**

"Wake up, wake up. Oh god I hope you're not dead." Wyatt Moore awoke from his sedation to find himself in a dimly lit room. The walls were grey and made of stone, the floor as well, and there were bars as well, as though they were in a prison. "Oh thank god you're alive." He heard a feminine voice say

"What is this place?" he asked. He looked towards his cellmate, it was too dark to make out her features except she had jet black hair, and was dressed like she was headed out. "Who are you? And do you remember getting here?" he asked her.

"My name is Karen Baldwin, and all I remember was someone putting a cloth on my face and then passing out."

"Same here." They both looked and searched the cell, but found nothing. "Why are we here exactly?" and in response, a stream of blinding blue light and sparks filled the room. Wyatt looked and notices that it coming from the ground, and it was drawn in the shape of a transmutation circle. "What is this?" but then he felt himself getting weaker, thinner, as though he was having the life sucked out of him until he and Karin had become nothing but dust.

* * *

Central City, Amestris, 1935, the roof of Central College.

"Is it going to work this time?" Eva Elric asked her childhood friend and constant companion Jonah Mason.

"It has to work. This is my third time skipping class."

"And _my _first time." Eva told him anxiously checking the door to the roof.

"Well when we perfect this time travel equation, we're not going to have to worry about it." Jonah said in complete confidence. After months of research, along with trial and error, this attempt is sure to work. His heart racing, Jonah placed the test statue on the transmutation circle. If all goes well, it should reappear several minutes later. "Ready Eva?"

"Ready." She told him. They both put their hands on the circle, making it glow electric blue, the statue beginning to be covered with electric current. Then smoke expelled from the statue, surrounding them both. Coughing and unable to see, they ran as far away from the circle until the smoke no longer covered them.

"Well that was a bust." Eva commented. And she knew it since this had happened all the other times. Jonah however was still not deterred.

"Okay, I think I might have missed something here." But Eva raises her hand and stopped his rambling.

"Please Jonah." She started, tired of hearing his "solution" for the tenth time.

"But Eva if I can just."

"Just what Jonah? Another rambling that supposedly corrects the mistake of the last attempt only fail as badly as the last?" she scolded in an annoyed tone.

But Jonah only looked at her, undeterred by her tirade. "But I always come so close, and there's always some-." But she cut him off yet again, her voice more calm and controlled.

"Jonah, I really don't want to keep on with this cycle." She looked at his unchanged expression. He always worked so hard for this project, to put quantum alchemy in text books everywhere, and all of it kick started by him. Jonah Mason, the man that brought Quantum Alchemy out of obscurity. But after three years, and multiple attempts, he was never deterred.

"Jonah, it's been too long, you're going to have to face it, quantum alchemy, just can't be brought out of obscurity," she snaps her fingers, "just like that. And don't think that you can deny it." Jonah listened to he, and she was right. There wasn't that much research done on quantum alchemy in the first place, so they didn't have much to work with in the first place. But it took him all this time to realize it.

"I guess you're right." He said lowering his head.

"Just put it off for a while until you know more on how to work it, and until then, concentrate on the more important things." And she was right. They had their college work to think about. "c'mon, we have to get back to class. They picked up their bags and headed to the door. "My parents gonna kill me when the Head Master tells them about this."

* * *

Jonah splashed water on his face as he got himself ready for his next class. He looked at himself in the mirror, his long tanned face slightly covered by his now wet bangs, his hair that goes to his neck all frizzled and unkempt, the way he likes it, and finally his green bloodshot eyes from hours of staying up late working on his time travel equation. He picked up his things and left the lavatory, to his next class.

Jonah sat in the class looking over his notes. Next to quantum mechanics, archeology was his most favorite subject, and today they were supposed to have a new professor coming in, but they were running late apparently, and all around the class there were conversations ensuing. But it wasn't about the new professor; in fact you didn't even need to eaves drop on any conversation to know what they were about: the disappearance of a group of students. It all started around a month ago; a group of students left one night to a party, but were never heard of again. Since then people have sent out searches, but to no avail.

"I wonder who it is?"

"Probably some old dude."

"Or some old broad."

"Do they really need to be old?" Jonah exclaimed.

"Oh lighten up J." Owen said, but Jonah just looked back at the door, but who came in was not what he or anyone else expected. Instead of a senior citizen everyone had expected, a young, beautiful, woman, probably in her late teens, possibly the same age as the students, with jet black hair going to her shoulders, blue eyes that seemed to catch the light, and a physic, that said she could take on anyone; and she had on a light gray shirt under a black trench coat, a black pencil skirt and black leggings with shoes that didn't really go with the rest of her outfit, they were black and white checkered high top shoes that read 'Converse' on its side, and it looked as though they were for running, as if she expected to be hunted down.

"Good day class." She said with an accent he's only heard a few times. "my name is professor Delany, and I shall be your teacher until further notice."

How Jonah was able to pay attention to what she said was a mystery, and it seemed to be the same case for the others, but Jonah kept his head down and concentrated on his notes.

The entire class time, Jonah had been concentrating solely on his class work, so focused that he finished before his next class was up, so he decided to pull out his quantum mechanics notes, and his alchemy text book. _I might as well study up for the next experiment._ He had his full attention on the text when he felt a presence come up behind him. He turned and looked in to the face of Professor Delany.

"What do you have there?" she asked him bringing him out of his trance.

"Well you see, I have been working on an obscure type of alchemy." He shows her his notes, but the reaction is not what he expected; her face became shocked, as though she couldn't believe what he had written on it. He looked and saw nothing strange about it, only the transmutation circles he drew down, but Delany looked as though they meant something deeper.

"Where did you get these?" she asked, but class ended before he could tell her.

* * *

"There's something going on with the archeology professor." Jonah told Eva and their friend Cameron. They were at a café near the campus, sitting out on the patio.

"What do you mean?" Eva asked.

"Well for one thing she looks like she could have graduated just last year, and the way she looked at my alchemy notes. It was like no one else should have known about them." He took a sip of his coffee.

"What are you going to do?" Cameron asked.

"Nothing, what she knows isn't any of my concern. Plus I have more important things to worry about." He gets up from his chair leaves his due money on the table and picks up his bag, "now if you'll excuse me, I have a test to study for." And heads back to campus.

That afternoon Jonah spent most of the day studying in his dorm room while his roommate was out on a date. When he decided he had done enough work for the day he decided to go for a walk around campus. Looking around He decided to head towards the campus bookstore to read up on some pulp fiction novels. As he passed by a statue, he sensed a presence behind him. He turned and took a fighting stance ready to go all out on whoever was trailing him. He looked around but saw no one, and then he heard his name being whispered. _Let me guess, someone's behind the statue._ Then Owen, his paranoid friend since their first year of college, came from behind the statue._ This cannot get any more predictable._ Owen walked up to him with a file under his arm, looking around as though checking if he were followed.

"Hey, Jonah," He said. "I've been digging up some dirt on Professor Delany."

_Spoke too soon._ And for as long as Jonah knew him, was going to drag him in to it.

"I've looked through her file, there doesn't seem to be much stuff about her, no medical records, no-."

"Owen let me stop you there." He said knowing Owens routine

"Why?" he asked raising an eyebrow in confusion.

"Because whenever there's something even slightly out of the ordinary, you blow it completely out proportion."

Offended at the comment Owen asked him when he has ever done that.

"What about the morgue that you were sure was a cult of Furor Bradley worshipers that you thought were trying to resurrect him."

"They're around dead bodies all day; you don't think they might use one as a vessel?"

"What about the bee that you were sure was following you around town to use you as its new hive."

"Well there's evolution to consider."

"And what about old lady Seamus, which I am glad I bailed out before the cops got to her house."

"Well she's been whispering about dealing drugs."

"She had Alzheimer's disease!"

"That's what she wants you to believe." But Jonah just rolled his eyes and walked away. "Jonah c'mon, I need help with this."

"No, Owen, I'm not going jeopardize myself again just because of your paranoia."

"But I."

"But nothing, good luck." He told him with a sarcastic smile.

"What if she's planning on taking over the country?"

"Then I'll haul ass over to Xing or Drachma."

"Oh you have an answer for everything don't you?"

"It's expanded a good length since meeting you."

"Ok fine. But when I save Amestris from another invasion, I won't acknowledge you."

"Fine by me." And he turned and left to the book store. When he got there he saw Eva looking over the dime novels. He waved to her and met up.

"How's today been?" she asked.

"Well Owens gone crazy again." Eva gave him a playful sympathetic look.

"I'm so sorry."

"Don't worry I made sure not to get involved this time." She gave a sigh of relief.

"Good, because I don't want a repeat of the Barry the chopper copy cat killer. Speaking of which, who was his target this time?"

"It was Professor Delany." It was Eva could do to suppress a laugh.

"He can't be serious." She said. "But there's no use fighting it." She said in acceptance.

The rest of the day was spent with them talking, reading novels, and drinking coffee. Sometime in the time frame Jonahs alchemy experiments was brought up.

"Jonah, about your Quantum Alchemy." Eva asked in a subtle tone.

"It's fine, I took your advice and took a break from it." But Eva looked as though she had some thoughts she was meaning to tell him. "What about it?"

She leaned down and pulled out a notebook from her bag. "I've been looking in to its history, and what surprised me was that its creation was... spontaneous." She said finally coming up with the word.

"What do you mean spontaneous?" he asked puzzled.

"It came out of nowhere, whenever I try to look up who created it, it comes up blank." She opened up the note book and flipped through the pages until she came to a page with a sketch of a man with curly chestnut hair, and a rather long scarf wrapped many times around his neck, and a fedora. "This man is the earliest I was able to trace it to, and even then there wasn't much information on him. All's he's known as is the Doctor."

Jonah looked over the sketch and recognized the man. "I know him, the Doctor." Then Eva's words came to him, there wasn't much on him except that he was associated with quantum alchemy. "You're right." But another realization came. "Why did you decide to help me with my experiments?"

She shrugged and said, "I just wanted to help. As a friend." But Jonah gave her a smug look.

"You felt bad for me and decided to look it up to make me feel better. Am I wrong?"

She looked at him in defeat. "Yes I felt bad for what I told you." She told him with an I'm-sorry look. Jonah got up and pulled her in a hug.

"Thanks eve, I appreciate it." She returned the hug.

They went to pay for the books and saw a notice on the back board that said

**Announcement**:

**The dean of central college has announced a presentation of a revolutionary form of alchemy, on **

**5-12-35**

**Please come in your best dressed**

"That's two month from now." Eva said. "What do you think it is?"

Then a horrifying realization came to him. Oh god what if… if." But he couldn't get himself to say it. But Eva gave him a reassuring look.

"Don't worry; hardly anyone is as interested in Quantum Alchemy as you." Relaxing from her words, they stepped out of the bookstore and said their goodbyes and headed towards their dorms.

It was already dark out so Jonah had his senses on full alert in case someone tried assaulting him. Or if incase Owen would try to bring him in to his scheme again. Halfway back to campus, he heard the light taping of footsteps following him. At first he tried out running them, and then he tried to shake them off. Then another pair and soon enough they started getting closer. _What do you want with me? _He thought as the steps came closer. As soon as he felt them reaching for him, he turned and grabbed his arm. The man tried a right hook, but was block and received a jab to the stomach, and a knee to the chin. He sensed another and turned to catch his kick, and gave him one of his own. The other man grabbed him from behind, but received an elbow to his side, then a round house to the head. Then he received a jab to the jaw, but blocked a second one, then a left hook, and then he delivered a kick to the groin, causing his second assailant to keel over. He studied the two hooded figures. He picked one up from his jacket and slammed him to the wall behind him.

"What do you want with me?" he demanded.

But then he felt a shock to his to his shoulder, causing his vision to blur and forcing him to retreat to a wall. Jonah looked and found a third attacker, as well as the other two coming towards him. He stood there helpless to what the men were going to do to him. _I didn't think this was how I would go._ Then he braced himself for the upcoming beating. But then felt a hand grab his, he looked and as surprised as he saw who it was.

"Run." Said Professor Delany, and pulled him away from the hooded figures.


	2. Ponytails

**Ponytails**

Jonah didn't think. He only ran with Delany leading him in a somewhat emasculating way. After a good distance they stopped, Jonah was out of breath and breathing heavily; he looked and saw Delany looking around making sure no one followed. He looked down and saw their hands still entwined together, and then he looked at her; her beautiful face illuminated by the moonlight, her dark hair reflecting the pale light. Jonah couldn't tell if he'd stopped being tired and was just exited that he had a gorgeous woman holding him.

"Are you all right Jonah?" Delany asked bringing him out of his trance.

"What?" he asked before he realized what just happened. "Yes I'm fine professor. Also thanks for getting me out of there."

"No problem." She said, but then she gave a face as if there was something more

"What is it?" Delany gave a sigh and explained.

"You weren't their first target." She said.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean the party goers a few weeks ago. These men had something to do with it and I'm trying to find out what."

"Did you find anything out?"

"Not a lot so far." Jonah looked at the ground, then at Delany.

"Well good luck with your investigations." He said, and then turned towards the dorms. But a thought struck him. "Why did you save me?"

Delany simply looked at him and said. "I just happened to be there." Was all she said before turning and walked away "Look out for yourself." Was the last thing she said before turning the corner.

* * *

That night all that Jonah could think about was Delany; how she' rescued him, how she looked in the moonlight, and the way she didn't even look tired after all the running they did. The next morning Jonah woke up to see Owen still up and looking out the window through a telescope, jotting down notes.

_I know I shouldn't ask._ Jonah thought as he got up and dressed. He tried his best to ignore Owens wild antics, but curiosity got the better of him, plus it might help to bring him back to sanity.

"What are you doing?" he asked

"I had just discovered Delany room is in the dorm right across from ours, so I've set up a stake out."

"Wait you've been spying on her all night?" he asked in mild shock.

"Well of course, I won't rest until I have uncovered what this new teacher is hiding." And of course Jonah knows what she's doing, but he gets the feeling that she wants her investigations a secret. So he decided to try and change the conversation.

"So did you hear the dean is having a party?" that seemed like a safe topic.

"Why yes I read the notice." He said not taking his eye off the telescope. "What do you think I should wear?"

"I don't know; you still have like a few weeks left." He put on his jacket and was about head out the door when Owen called.

"Professor Delany had just left her room." Jonah paused, and then all but ran out the door, his face hot and his heart running. _If I cut through the main hallway I could catch up to her._ But he regained his senses, slowed down and relaxed. _What the hell are you thinking? The only reason you feel that is because she saved your life._ It was true, people would often believe that they're in love with someone, but it was really what they did for them like giving gifts or saving their life; but not him, he was a scientist, and an alchemist at that, and he won't allow himself to be deterred from his studies all because a teacher saved him, Speaking of which he ran into Delany, literally. They crashed and fell to the floor.

"Sorry," he said as he looked up and saw who it was. "Hello professor." He told her as he helped her up.

"Thank you Jonah." She said brushing herself off, and then she turned to him and asked. "do you know an Owen Summers?"

"You mean my paranoid friend\roommate who takes things too far?" he said bluntly.

Delany looked at him amazed at how he told her all of that without wincing. "uh… yes him."

"Just ignore him, if you drag this out long enough he'll get bored and move on to annoying someone else."

"Well you see that's just the thing."

"What do you mean?" he asked raising an eyebrow.

"I heard that he stalked the dean for a while, and I was wondering if he still has any of the… information he picked up on him." Jonah cocked his head in further confusion.

"I think he does, since there might be a resurge." He told her.

"Good, can you get it for me please? I don't really feel comfortable enough being around him." She said. Jonah felt compelled to say no.

"Sure I'll get it." He said much to his distaste.

"Great, thank you." She said joyously, and then walked off. Jonah looked at her until she left his eyesight. Whatever it is she's doing, it was no concern of his and he tried his best to keep it that way, at least until he got her the files. He set out back to his dorm, but when he got to his floor a realization came; _where the hell am I supposed to bring the damn files? _Then as if in response he felt a tap on his shoulder, he turned around to see Professor Delany.

"In the class, this afternoon." She said then tied her hair in a ponytail, "like that see?" was all she said before walking away.

_Like that? What does she mean?_ But he pushed it off and went in to the apartment. "Owen can I ask you a favor?" he asked closing the door, when he turned the sight caught him by surprise: the walls were covered with pictures, and across the rooms were red string attached to the pictures.

"Owen!" Jonah called out.

"Yes?"

"What the hell is all this?" he asked indicating the strings and pictures.

"Well you see I've established a chain link with anyone who's had a connection to Delany." Jonah looked in bewilderment

"And you did this in just ten minutes? You know what? I don't care!" Jonah said. "Listen if you're gonna keep on with your investigations, at least keep it in _your_ room." He demanded.

"But my room isn't big enough. Also the way you said to keep it in my room, makes it sound like I'm a homo sexual." But Jonah was not in the mood for his roommate's insanity.

"Listen if you don't take all of this down, I'll put up those pictures of you showering in swimming trunks." Owen looked at him in shock.

"Are you black mailing me? And I thought you got rid of those."

"Yes. No. and one more thing." He answered and said. "I need the dirt you have on the current dean, no questions asked."

"But why?" Owen asked. Then Jonah felt a smile form on his face.

"I said no questions, or do you want me to tell everyone that you named your favorite pillow Mr. Stay Puft."

Owen glared at him in defeat. "Oh very well; I knew I shouldn't have sewed his name on." He said then proceeded to take down the pictures. But Jonah once again called him.

"Information first." He said then Owen walked through and under the strings in to his room._ That was too easy._ He happily thought to himself; not only was he able to do what Delany asked without being badgered with questions by Owen, he also got him to clean up his mess all on his own for once. _I should have done this a long time ago._ Owen came out of his room, once again maneuvering the strings.

"Here you go." He strained to say.

"Thank you." Then he walked out the room, towards Delany's class. He still had time to spare until he brought the papers to Delany, so he decided to head to the library to kill time. When he got there he decided to look into the disappearances that had been occurring. Looking into the news articles, he noticed that the partygoers weren't the only ones that disappeared; apparently others around campus were going missing as well, but Jonah noticed a connection between them: they were all from outside Central City, like Resembool, Rush Valley, and North city, but even then Jonah couldn't come up with a conclusion. Then he felt a shiver go down his spine, as though someone was watching him. He raised his head and looked from one side then the other, all he saw were people reading._ I think I've spent enough time here._ Then he picked up the files and headed out.

He arrived at Delany's class ten minutes later, just before twelve. He knocked on the door, heard a feint 'come in', and then entered. Delany was at her desk grading the students papers, her hair no longer in a ponytail, when she looked up she looked surprised.

"Jonah, how'd you know where to find me?" Jonah looked at her completely baffled.

"But you told me come." Now it was Delany's turn to be confused.

"I told you?" she asked.

"Yes you did."

"When did I do that exactly?"

"When we were in the hall, you put your hair in a ponytail." Now Delany looked even more confused.

"I put my hair in a ponytail?" she said checking the back of her head. _What is wrong with her? Is she pulling my leg?_ But she looked too confused to be acting, so he decided to give up on it and handed her the file. After heading out the door Jonah decided to head to the coffee shop and meet up with Eva. While passing the library he remembered that he needed to return a book, so he went in and walked to the counter.

"I'm here to return this." He told the elderly librarian.

"Thank you dear." She said opening the book and stamping it in. "you know the new professor?" she asked.

"Yes."

"She's a curious thing you know."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean that she looks like a lot of historical figure from the history books." Jonah looked at her as though he had seen a ghost.

"That's one hell of a coincidence." He said, but librarian gave him a doubtful glance.

"young man if you've lived as long as I have, you'll earn that if there is too many coincidences, then there is no coincidence." Jonah dismissed her words although he made a mental note of it because he knew never to take an old persons word lightly, plus he didn't want to go any further in to the Delany conspiracy. But he had to consider what the librarian said, because if she knew about what was going on with the professor then its best to do some investigating.

* * *

"You're not serious are you?" Eva asked in shock.

"The librarian told me so." Jonah told her. They were at their usual hang out at the coffee shop in the outdoor patio where Jonah had told Eva about Delany, which was starting another one of her infamous migraines, which she was already starting to rub her head.

"I swear Jonah, bunking in with Owen has finally gotten to you." She said irritably.

"Look she came to me in the hall to bring her information on the dean that Owen had."

"You mean the Whitford, homunculus army conspiracy? By the way how'd you managed to get the files?"

"I'll tell you later, but that's not all she did."

"What else?" she asked curiously. He beckoned her to in look around and softly told her.

"Last night, she saved my life." Then Eva got a smug smile on her face.

"Ohhh I get it."

"You get what?"

"You're in love with her aren't you?" Jonah felt outraged.

"I am not in love with Delany alright; I got that out of my head."

"Please Jonah, once again you're in over your head, and not only that you're probably going to be demoted to stalker status." Just then Owen walked in with a file under his arm and took a seat between them.

"Hello comrades." He said. "I have been doing far more research on our new teacher, and I have interviewed people who had ever any interaction with her such as small talk, friend status, or any sort of intimacy; but So far all I got were no's maybes' and a particularly hard slap from a burnet girl." There was an awkward silence for a few seconds.

"Or you could be Owen." She said referring to her last statement.

"What about me?" Owen asked. Then an idea came to Jonah, but he already regretted it, and as though she read his mind, Eva tried talking him out of it.

"Jonah please doesn't."

"It's not like I'm gonna like it."

"Like what?" Owen asked. Jonah turned to him.

"What are you doing tonight?"

* * *

"I'm really glad you decided to finally help me out." Owen said with glee.

"If it'll get you to shut up." Jonah said. They were outside Delany's room, waiting for a chance to sneak in and investigate.

_Why couldn't I've stuck to my own business?_ But he already told himself that he was in the heat of the moment. But this was what happened when he lets something go to his head.

"Are you enjoying yourself Jonah?"

"When do I ever enjoy anything with you after ten o'clock?"

"Well no need to be blunt."

"Is that what you told the police when they arrested you for trying to give the coffee shop owner a cavity search?" Owen glared at him.

"Is all you ever tell me is all the antics that get me arrested?"

"Only if you bug me first." Jonah told him. Owen said nothing else. After a few minutes of standing out of the apartment was beginning to get to Jonah, until he spotted movement, then Delany exited the room.

"All right Jonah, now's our chance." Owen said before moving away from the corner they were hiding in and moved on. When they were at the door Owen pulled out his door opening kit and got to work.

"I can't believe that it took me this long to come to my senses, but this is completely insane!"

"Well too bad, you're already in too deep."

"Well I can bail out."

"You wouldn't." Owen said not taking his eyes off the door.

"You know I have before, and I won't hesitate to do it again." But he never got the chance because by then owe had opened the door and was already in, followed by Jonah.

"What the hell am I doing?"

"Well you are currently helping me to expose this new professor as some kind of conspirator." Jonah decided not to bother with him and his need to answer rhetorical questions. After being in the darkened apartment Jonah was starting to become more anxious; it was one thing skipping class, but breaking in could actually get him thrown in jail. Deciding to finally let Owen take the fall all for himself he headed to the door and reached for the door knob, then heard a click.

"Oh chap she's back!" Jonah said and ran for cover.

"What? She's here?" Owen asked already starting to panic.

"Yes didn't you know?" but Owen only stood stock still. "You amaze me you know that?" then ran for cover in a closet while Owen proceeded behind a curtain.

Feeling his heart pounding in his throat, Jonah listened to Delany outside: A click that turned on the lights, footsteps, a coat being taken off, footsteps rushing across the room to the front door indicating that Owen had escaped. _That jackass,_ He whispered. As he heard the footsteps coming closer, Jonah involuntarily moved back in to the closet until he hit the back wall, time seeming to slow down on tenth the normal speed. _Oh god I'm in deep shit now!_ He thought terrified as he waited for Delany to walk in her closet and discover her psycho student stalking her from inside a closet, which sadly sounded worse than being Owen. But just when he thought himself screwed he felt a handle, probably lead to a secret bunker, but there was no time to ponder as the footsteps came closer. He opened the door and ran in as immediate relief came over Jonah closing his eyes as he avoided immediate discovery. But not much later he felt something different; the space was larger than he anticipated, and there was light, and not from a bulb made for a closet, but for an entire room.

Jonah turned around, and what he saw left him wide eyed and slack jawed. He wasn't in some tiny bunker, but a whole other building of some kind; it was large, gold colored, and domed shaped, with small grooves and tiles wonderfully crafted into it, and inside each one was a glass bulb that beautifully accompanies it, in the middle was a raised plat form with an octagonal module, and a glass cylinder rising up from it that touched the ceiling, and had bulbous glass figure going up and down it, all while emitting a noise that he believed were some complicate engine at work. Jonah walked around, mesmerized at what he was looking at, how could all of this fit in to a close bunker? Or better yet what kind of bunker is this?

"Magnificent isn't he?" said a voice that brought him out of his trance. He turned around, and saw Delany looking right at him, a large smile cut across her face.

"It's bigger on the inside." Was he could say.


	3. The Red Box

**The Red Box**

Jonah looked around and took in all he saw, but he still couldn't believe it. "I don't think Father himself could have been able to do this."

"Of course he can't," Delany said in an obvious tone." Jonah turned towards her, his face showing that he could not believe any of this.

"What are you?"

"Me? Well I can tell you that I am not human."

"Then what are you Delany? if that's even your real name"

Delany cracked a wry smile. "I am a Time Lady from the planet Gallifrey. And my real name is Astridiamantelanazorrana."

"Gallifrey, Where's that? And what the hell is a Time Lady anyways, astir, ester, druid."

"How about just Astrid?" she said in sympathy.

"Yes, thank you Astrid, now again, what's a Time Lady?"

"Well it's like Time Lord, only it's lady."

"And why do you look like humans?"

"Oh actually its humans that look like Time Lords because we came here first."

And finally, what the hell is this?" he said waving his arms around indicating the room he was in.

"Well this is the TARDIS." She said.

"Tardis?"

"It stands for Time and Relative Dimensions in Space."

"Well what does it do?"

"It travels through time and space." Jonah gave a quick laugh at what she told him. "its no joke."

"Yeah, and I'm the Ice Queen." He gave another laugh before continuing. "so what have you been doing with this thing?" then the now named Astrid cracked yet another smile.

"Well let me show you." She walked up to the module with Jonah closely behind. When they stepped on the platform he noticed it was made of glass, and underneath was a deep grove, where there were series of cables that ran beneath. As for the console, it looked as though it were made of scraps found in a junkyard.

"So how does all this work?" Jonah asked.

"Well you're about to find out." She said while expertly working the controls, pulling a lever, pressing buttons, and spinning wheels. Then there was a sound that sounded like the wind was made of metal if that made any sense, then a thud.

"So that's it? It makes a sound." But Delany didn't' answer him until she got to the door.

"See for yourself." She offers him the door. Jonah opens it and when he steps out he could not believe what he saw. Rush Valley, in the cover of night it looked tranquil, peaceful, and in the pale light of the full moon it looked magnificent, but by morning it would all start up with the noise of factories and gears that move the city of Automail.

"This is Rush Valley, my home town." Astrid looked at him as if he were a freak of nature.

"You're from Rush Valley and you don't even have a single piece of automail on you? You must have been some careful child." But Jonah let out a chuckle.

"Actually I was a walking hazard,; couldn't take two steps without knocking anything over."

"Then how are you intact?" he shrugged.

"Don't know; I guess I was just lucky."

"You probably were. Now lets get back to the college." As Jonah turned back, he got a good look of the weird ship. It was a red police call box; it was about six or seven feet and about four feet wide and read 'Police Public Call Box'.

"You never told me how the inside thing works." Jonah asked.

"What inside thing?"

"How the inside fits in to that small box."

"Oh well it works with a dimensional distortion that allows the inside to expand while allowing the outside to keep its original form." Jonah looked at her trying to make sense of her words. "Listen that's the simplest explanation I can give you." Jonah decided not to argue.

"So what about your accent?" he asked the got in. "I never heard it before except maybe a few times."

"Well you see Gallifrey is much like."

"What's Brittan?"

"A place very far away." Was all she told him as she worked the TARDIS.

"So what are you really doing here?"

"Investigating disappearances that have been occurring at the college."

"Do you have any sort of leads?"

"Well the abductor doesn't have a specific type, and they take anyone, but there is one thing."

"And that is?" he asked curiously.

"They are all between eighteen and thirty years old."

Jonah pondered on the news when al of a sudden everything began to shake and tumble around. "What the hell is going on?"

"We must have hit a space rift." Astrid yelled as they held on for dear life. Then it all stopped. "We're here." She said as though nothing happened.

"Does that always happen to you?" Jonah asked as they departed in to Astrid's closet.

"More times than I would like to admit, now you should get back to your dorm, and I will continue with our investigations." Jonah looked at her in surprise, had he misheard her?

"_Our _investigation?"

"Why yes of course, it's always good to have a partner with you isn't it?" Jonah didn't know what to make of it, first he finds out his teacher is an alien that's investigating disappearances, now he's partnered up with her.

"Why yes of course." He said.

"Fantastic, so I'll see you in class tomorrow Mr. Mason." He nodded to her then headed for the door until a thought came to him.

"Professor," he called to her.

"Yes Jonah?"

"Is there anything different between humans and Time Lords?" Delany smiled at him and pulled out a stethoscope and handed it to him. Assuming why she gave it to him, he put the chest piece against her chest and listened to her heart beat while she stood there.

"Well I don't hear anything else." He said, and then he moved it to the other side where what he heard was not what he expected. Pulling back he looked at Astrid who had a smile on her face. "you have two hearts!"

"I know, and now you know." She said. Looked at her, and suddenly he felt his face turn hot like it did when they first met. "What's wrong?" Astrid asked.

"nothing." Jonah said. "Hey about my Quantum Alchemy notes, you looked as though I shouldn't have known all of that." He said trying to get his mind set strait.

"Oh, well you see it's about the transmutation circle you used for the alchemy."

"What about it?"

She gave him a serious look. "It's ancient Gallifreyan, the language of the Time Lords." Jonah looked at her in disbelief.

"How did your language become an important part in alchemy?"

"That was the doing of an old friend of mine."

* * *

"You're helping Professor Delany with what?" Eva remarked to Jonah in shock. They were in the café with Eva and Cameron; Jonah had recently told her about what Delany was doing, but left out the part about her real name and her planet of origin. "Listen to me Jonah, you're gonna get yourself in to some big trouble if you go on with Delany."

"C'mon Eva, she's not dangerous, and plus we can get to the bottom of these disappearances."

"And possibly get you killed." Jonah was beginning to feel agitated at his friend's scolding.

"Eva what is it about everything that I do that's so bad?"

"It's that you don't think these things through."

"But I always come out fine."

"By sheer luck, why do you think you still have your normal limbs Evan though you're from rush valley? And further- hey where are you going?" Jonah had gotten up and picked up his things, he turned to her his face calm as ever.

"Evelyn," he said her full name only when he was very serious with her. "I'm sorry to tell you this but your lectures are getting kind of old." The last word had hit her like blow to the head with one of her mother's wrenches that she used to use on her father.

"Well if I don't try to talk sense in to you, you could get yourself killed."

"Well I appreciate your concern but I'm going on my own with this." He turned and walked away while Eva mumbled to herself.

"See if I care when you get your head lopped off."

Jonah walked down the street, his face buried in a mystery dime novel, he was already halfway when he heard a distinctive mumbling. He looked up and swathe last person he needed, Owen; and the when he looked at Jonah he stiffened, apparently he remembered what he had done to him. Although Jonah wasn't mad, he decided this was a good time to mess with him.

"hello." He said in his most calm voice.

"h-h-hello." Owen said back. "I see that you're well." Owen started to tense up. _This is too damn easy!_ Jonah thought to himself, suppressing his malevolent glee. "You're not mad about last night are you?"

"Oh no, it's all fine." He said in mock sarcasm, which Owen misread because he relaxed a degree. Oh that's good. I thought that I would get on your bad side." Jonah let out a sigh and pulled out a piece of paper with **sarcasm **written on it. "Damn it." Owen said.

"You really need to keep up man." Jonah said as he walked away, but under different circumstances he would have done a lot worse to the little weasel if he were majorly pissed, but for some reason he didn't feel that at all, he was actually almost thank full that Owen talked him in to it, or else he would have never had that encounter with Astrid…

_Christ what the hell am I thinking? She's your teacher, and an alien at that, who knows what would happen if we got in bed?_ Plus he didn't want a repeat of his last girlfriend, who kicked his heart in the ass after graduation. _Never again_ Jonah thought as he walked towards the dorms.

* * *

Astrid looked around the grand hallway, taking in the magnificent sight of it; the walls were colored red like the sky outside, adorned with portraits of former presidents as well as their other incarnations, the floor consisted of light red polished tiles, the ceiling was large and dome shaped, banners hanging from it with Gallifreyan written on it that read, academy grand ball, at the end of the hall were the large doors that led to the ball room where the festivities were to take place. "It's so beautiful." She said aloud. She turned in place, her golden brown robe lifted off the ground from the spin, when she stopped she found herself looking into a reflective urn, her dirty blond hair in a braid that she kept on her front, her blue eyes giving a soft twinkle, she looked very young for a two hundred and fifty year old.

"Exited for the ball tonight?" she turned to see her good friend and escort for the evening.

"Hello Doctor." She said, her heart beats beginning to quicken. "I hope you' been your dancing."

"Well I have so don't you worry." He said walking towards her, his light red swaying back and forth with every step. When he got in front of her, she was already blushing, he gave a small laugh. "You're acting like an earth school girl." She gave him a light punch on the arm.

"Well at least you're honest that you fancy earth girls." She said looking up in to his eyes, feeling entranced by his charm, he leaned in and she got up on her toes, tilting her head to receive his kiss, only that it wasn't her first love, it was Jonah.

Astrid opened her eyes, coming out of her dream, she was in her bed at the college dorm, her breath deep and ragged, sweat covering her body, her hearts beating wildly as though she had just finished running. _What the hell was that?_ She thought._ He's from another world, and far too young to be with you._ Literally they are years apart, but by rate of growth they were the same age. _Stop it; he still won't be able to age as much as you do._ It was true, the most he could possibly grow to was a hundred, even then that was a long shot, plus she could not bear to see him die like Orpheus; then a wave of sadness, and guilt envelope her, as she remembered his last minutes of life. _Don't think about him it's all in the past._ She though as her eyes began to tear up, she took a deep breath, relaxed then went back to sleep.


	4. The Event

**The Event**

"So tell me why is it important that I teach you alchemy?" Jonah asked. They were in the TARDIS where he was teaching Astrid how to work Alchemy.

"Oh! It wasn't important." She responded as she made a wooden block in to a wooden sculpture of a Weeping Angel

"What? Then why did you say it was?"

"Oh that was just a clever lie to get you to teach me."

"Then why didn't you just ask me?" she shrugged.

"This was funnier." Jonah rolled his eyes. They were investigating their case for the last several weeks but had come up with next to nothing on what it was, and the Dean's gathering was just a few days away. "You have anything to wear for the party on Friday?" she asked.

"No, I was never in to all the big social events."

"So you're not going?"

"I never said that." He said defensively. "It's just I never have a good suit."

"Oh well I can lend you one." Jonah looked at her wide eyed.

"You have men's clothing with you?"

"Yes, you never know when you might have a guest and they forget their luggage." Jonah only half believed what she said. There was something else she was holding back, but he simply dismissed it, and decided to change the subject.

"So what do you think the dean wants to announce?"

"Well since he's inviting such a large crowed, it has to be rather large."

"Yeah especially since he's inviting two of the former presidents over, As well as Edward Elric." He looked at his watch and saw what time it was. "Well I better get to bed, I have an exam tomorrow." He picked up his books and headed down the walkway. As he reached for the door, Astrid called out to him

"You know I've read that there are people who can perform alchemy simply by clapping your hands together." She said. Jonah felt himself shiver. He asked Ed the exact same thing back while was in Resembool while he was his apprentice, and his response felt more like a very grave warning.

* * *

"Tell me Jonah, what sorts of alchemy are going to focus on?" Edward asked him.

"Well I was looking up on quantum alchemy, so maybe that."

"Really? You do know it's very obscure right?"

"Well I guess I'm gonna have to bring it out aren't I?" Edward smiled.

"I like your determination; I knew you'd be a great student."

"Thanks Ed, you're a great teacher, but about the whole stranding me out in the forest thing was a little harsh don't you think?"

"o c'mon, when I was in training, I was left in a tiny island with my brother, and I was five years younger than you."

"Okay I understand." Jonah looked at the clock and saw how late it was. "We better get to bed." Jonah said. They both got up and headed for the door. After going on separate directions in the hall, a question came to Jonah. He turned and called out to him. "You know I've read that there are people who can perform alchemy simply by clapping their hands together. How do you learn to do that?" Ed stiffened as a wave of memories came back, from committing the taboo, to looking for the philosophers stone, all the people who died trying to help them; Jonah saw all the emotion in his body language, and he immediately knew he shouldn't have asked. "Um, sorry teacher." He turned back and walked away.

"To be able to do it, you have to see the truth." Edward said to him. Jonah turned to face him; he had a look of sadness and regret, anger and anguish. "Jonah listen carefully, if you lose anybody you love, you should not try to bring them back, no matter what you may feel, because it is impossible to bring them back to life, no matter how skilled you are, they cannot come back." Edward put his hand on his automail leg, squeezing it in his hand, a tear trickling down his cheek, his breath turning ragged.

"Edward, Jonah are you two coming to bed?" Winry called out to them, Ed turned and looked at her. she was already in her night gown, looking very tired after pulling an all-nighter. Edward smiled and continued up the stairs and said good night to Jonah. That night Jonah laid in his bed thinking of what Edward had told him, all the emotion, the regret and memories he saw was enough to discourage him from doing more than his limit.

Jonah remembered it all, and it always sends a chill down his spine. He turned to Astrid and repeated Edwards's words. "To do it you have to see the truth."

And how do you do that?" but he had already left. _Rude much?_ She thought, but she put it off and got to thinking of Jonah's words. What did he mean by "the Truth"? All meanings of the word varied from world to world, and she has yet to fully understand this one's. _Could it mean? What other explanation is there?_ She thought; what if the truth from her universe, was the time vortex?

* * *

Early the next morning Jonah decided to pay Eva a visit before going to Astrid's to pick up his clothes for the party Friday. He got dresses in his usual white black short sleeve jumper with button down shirt with rolled up sleeves, black jeans and favorite black jacket, very much like his mentor.

"Be back in a while Owen." He said to his roommate.

"Very well, take your time." Jonah suddenly got a bad sensation; whenever Owen told him that there was always some type of commotion in the dorm whenever he came back.

"Don't do anything stupid while I'm gone, and the dorm better be in one piece when I come back." He yelled to him.

"What're you talking about?" he responded sticking his head out his door which he wore a complicated head gear that consisted of a metal strainer, a small wind catcher, and a functioning model train that circled his head.

"What the hell is that thing?" Jonah asked referring to the head device. Owen simply said.

"Nothing."

"Well take it off, we don't need a repeat of the 'Martians contact' incident." which in retrospect seemed saner since he was interacting with an alien in secrecy.

"Oh very well." Owen goes back in the room followed by a series of complicated series of knobs and buckles being worked. Jonah rolled his eyes as he walked out the door and headed down the hallway.

_Why am I still roommates with that guy?_ After a few minutes he had gotten to Eva's dorm. He knocked on it, and Eva's roommate Lydian answered. How attractive she was; jet black that she cut short, nicely tan skin, and well shredded muscles, she was enough to give many men testosterone poisoning. Dressed in a black shirt and black skirt that showed her curves, Jonah was amazed he was able to hold himself back.

"What do you want?" she said in her bombshell voice, but Jonah kept calm and cool, no matter how much he wanted her.

"Here for Eva." Without emotion she turned and called her, seconds later she appeared at the door. But before he could say hello she started apologizing.

"Jonah, I'm sorry about the times I lectured you, berated you,"

"And bitched at him." Lydian interrupted as passed by which got her a glare from Eva.

"And that too. i guess what I'm saying is that if you want to go ahead and get in to trouble, you go on ahead." Jonah smiled, happy at her understanding.

"Thanks Eva. I'm glad you finally realize that."

"But there's one thing I want you to do."

"What's that?"

"Please don't get killed." Jonah gave a wry smile.

"I promise I won't."

* * *

"Astrid? I'm here." Jonah knocked on her door, then he heard a groan, then the door opened to show Astrid, a complete train wreck; her hair was mattered and shaggy, her clothes looked like they have been through a hurricane, and overall she looked a though she were hit by a truck.

"What happened to you?" Astrid looked around as though trying to come up with an excuse until she finally talked.

"Rough night is all I can say. Please come in." Jonah did and unlike its owner, the room looked as clean as ever.

"Did your rough night happen elsewhere?"

"Please no need to talk about that now. Can we get to what you're here for?" she was right, and Jonah had almost forgotten, his tux for tomorrow night.

"Well let's get it over with." He said as they walked to the TARDIS.

* * *

"Are the subjects in place?" the man asked his subordinates.

"Yes sir. By tomorrow night you'll make history." His scientist answered him excitedly. A grin came across his face. Soon his long time ambition will be cemented in history with him at its core. He felt greater than the Fullmetal Alchemist himself. How good it felt to accomplish something you invest so much time and dedication, and to be recognized for it in history books. Life just seemed to get better.

* * *

Jonah looked at himself in the mirror, and he had to say he looked better than he liked to admit. A basic black tuxedo with blue dress shirt, with black bow tie with bunny skulls, and a black fedora with a bunny skull and cross bones pin to boot. "This tux looks magnificent," he said to Astrid who was in the next dressing room of the TARDIS. "But what's with the rabbit skulls might I ask?"

"They're bunny skulls, and I happen like them." She said back. Jonah sighed and rolled his eyes as he looked at his watch; two hours until the Deans party.

"You ready yet Astrid?" he stepped out the room and looked to his right, and there in front of him was the Time Lady. She had on a black tube dress, with a black jacket, her hair was tied in to a bun that greatly showed the rest of her beautiful face, on her neck was a black stone held on by a platinum ring and silver chain to hold it, and her foot wear was… her usual black converse that was seriously mismatched. "Are you seriously wearing those?" she looked at her feet then back at him.

"Why, you don't expect me to wear those incredibly uncomfortable high heels do you?"

"I guess not." He said deciding the he didn't know enough about women to question it. Jonah offered her his arm. "Now shall we head out?"

"Why thank you Mr. Mason."

* * *

"Do you see Eva anywhere?" Winry Elric asked Edward.

"No i can't say that I can." He said.

"Maybe you should look behind you." They both looked and saw her finally. Dressed in a green sleeve less dress and a light green cloak, her blond hair tied in a braid complimented by a green ribbon, she looked as pretty as ever.

"Hi Eva, it's been a while." Winry said.

"Not that long mom. So how's the baby doing?' she said feeling her mother's bump.

"It's doing fine. Doctor said it's due next week."

"That's great. Where's Danny and Uncle Alphonse?" she asked referring to her older brother and uncle.

"Al's with his wife at the hospital having their baby, and Danny's off at those ruins over at Xing. Being an archeologist takes a lot out of you doesn't it?" Edward said. "Say, where's Jonah anyway? I thought he would be with you?"

"Oh you know him, he never liked social gatherings."

"Well maybe I do every once in a while." She heard from behind.

"WAH! Jonah don't do that, you know how much I hate." But her words were caught in her mouth as she saw Delany, who among the other girls at the party, she looked the most stunning.

"Edward, Winry, I would like you to meet my date for the evening, Professor Martha Delany."

"It's a pleasure to meet Jonah's mentor."

"And it's nice to meet his… who are you to him exactly?" Winry asked.

"Just a friend and companion." Jonah answered.

"Well it's great you have yourself a girl, And one that you're just as tall as." Edward said, shortly after Winry elbowed him in the ribs.

"What he means is it's great he has a woman for him." Jonah noticed what they were referring to.

"Hello Fullmetal." A man said approaching them.

"Colonel Mustang, how're you doing?" Edward greeted him.

"Please, I denounced my rank as Colonel a long time ago."

"Oh yeah, Now you're the former president."

"That's correct."

"And the second one after general Armstrong." Then Mustangs mood suddenly changed, he glared at Edward baring his fire glove.

"Don't start with me." He said before a he felt a hand on his arm.

"Calm down Roy. He's just playing you like he always did." Riza told him.

"Sorry, my temper is as short as ever huh?" he looked at Jonah. "and is this your student? He looks like he has a lot of potential, and looks as though he has himself a good woman."

"Oh, no it's not like that you see." But then their attention was diverted to the center of the room, where there was a stage set up.

"Excuse me may I have every body's attention." A young woman called through a loudspeaker before handing it to the dean. He looked as old as all the other former Deans, dressed in a basic Tuxedo.

"Ladies and gentlemen, you are all wondering why I had all of you here. Well you can wonder no longer." From a far part of the room a strange cart covered in a white tarp was being wheeled out to the middle of the room where the dean was. For years now I have been advancing my medical alchemy, looking for ways to cure genetic diseases, but instead I have found something more." He signaled to the works to pull off the tarp, revealing a large dome, big enough to hold a single person with alchemy inscriptions written on it. "Have come across groundbreaking research, medical alchemy narrowed down to a genetic level to the point that I can manipulate it to my will."

Jonah and Ed's brows shot up in astonishment. "Hey Ed didn't you tell me human transmutation was forbidden?"

"Human yes, but DNA is a completely different thing."

"I suppose you're right. Delany hat do you think?" Jonah asked her. but she was too intrigued by the Deans words.

"What are you planning?" she whispered to herself.

"Well I supposed I have said enough. Now for the demonstration." He handed the microphone to the stage hand and opened the chamber and stepped inside. Closing the doors the assistants began working knobs and lever. Soon the room darken, and a loud whirring sound coming from the chamber, posts were beginning to spin around it, then it started glowing.

"What's it doing?" Eva asked

"I don't know." Ed answered. The noise got louder as the stage hand were running around it frantically as though something had went wrong. Ten as fast as it had started it stopped, the room was bright again, and the chamber was still. Then it opened releasing mist from within, then a hand came out holding on to the opening, and another, them the rest of him came out, but there was something completely different about him.

"What the hell?" Delany said. The Dan appeared young, his hair was no longer grey but its original chestnut, his face no longer wrinkly, and his clothes seemed larger on him. He put his hands on his face, feeling himself more youthful, he gave a wild smile before saying. "I am Everet Green, and I am forty eight years old."


	5. The Alchemist's Questions

**The Alchemist's Questions**

Edward, Jonah, Mustang, Astrid, all alchemists at the party looked in awe at what could be the greatest achievement in science, or the most heinous act of humanity ever seen. Everet walked from his podium accepting offered hands, and receiving congratulations. But Jonah didn't share their optimism, neither did Astrid.

"This is either a great achievement, or a crime against Nature." Edward commented.

"With what I've seen, I'd say a little of both." Astrid responded.

"I'd say that too. C'mon Winry, let's go to the buffet table." He said as he guided her to a table.

"Are you thinking what I'm thinking?" Jonah asked Astrid.

"That this transmutation was possibly used with the missing people?"

"Exactly- hey where are you going?" Astrid had just walked away towards the Dean, Jonah barley catching up. "What are you doing?"

"Your guess is a good one, But highly unlikely."

"Why?" Astrid indicated to the podium used in the transmutation.

"Those markings don't look like the kind used in any sort of human transmutation. My guess he really did use genetic transmutation."

"Why do I feel like that you're leaving something out." But by then they had already reached the dean who was receiving a congratulations from the president.

"Ah hello Ms. Delany."

"Hello Everet, I must say you have made quite an achievement. Could you tell us how you managed this?"

"Well like I said I manipulated my genetic structure to reverse my age." Astrid gave him an obviously faked nod in approval then said.

"Don't you feel that this acts against human nature?" then she got a mild glare from him.

"I feel that people are entitled to their opinions, so I respect it."

"All right… well I have to go so good bye." She left hurriedly Leaving Jonah standing there.

"You have any questions young man?" he asked him, but all Jonah could do was stand there and stutter like an idiot until he just walked away. He wandered around for a while taking some margaritas that happened to pass by until he caught up with Edward, since he had some questions he wanted answered.

"Ed?" he said. "Don't you think that this guy may have broken the taboo?" Edward pondered on it.

"Well I wouldn't say he did, but like he said, it was more with DNA manipulation so technically he didn't." his answer frustrated Jonah, all he said was a repeat of earlier. So he wandered off again to meet up with Eva who was with her mother, and due to her pregnancy hormones, was at the buffet wolfing down an odd combination of fish fingers and custard. He walked towards them looking at Winry as she dipped another fish finger.

"Hello Eva, Winry." He greeted them.

"Hi Jonah, listen I saw Delany walking out the door a few minutes ago. Do you know what that's about?" Ay her last word Jonah he gave her a deadly look, as thou what she knew was important.

"Where'd she go?"

"The back door." She said slightly frightened, and then he was off. Winry looked at her daughter with a smug grin on her face. "Mom it's not like that."

"sure it isn't." she said going back to the table.

* * *

Everet looked among his audience, admiration and praised that all fed his ego that had grown over the decades, now he can finally relish in his accomplishment for many lifetimes to come; at least until he saw a young man with dark, ebony hair that was combed back, and tanned skin, with a fighters build walk out the back door of the room. He walked towards one of his assistants.

"Markus, I need you to head to the lab, I'll see you there." As the man rushed off to do his orders, the dean thought of the student and how he wasn't going to ruin his fame for him.

* * *

Jonah ran through the door making sure no one was looking, and then he sprinted down the hallway until he came across a pair of footsteps in converse. He turned a corner and right there was Astrid studying the walls with an odd device that looked like an exaggeratedly large skeleton key, except it didn't look ridiculous, it actually looked cool, as though it were a key for any lock, and it also had a blue light on the tip and made a whirring sound, then when she flicked her wrist it extended and she studied it as though it may have picked up something.

"Astrid." He called as he walked up to her.

"Jonah, good thing you came. I may need your help on this."

"Help on what? Also why did you storm out and lave me behind looking like an idiot. And also what's that weird key thing?"

"It's called a sonic key, and I believe it picked up on what I was looking for." She put the sonic in her pocket and studied a section of the wall, then pressing her ear against it and knocking on it. Then she stood up.

"Well what'd you find?" he asked, patience beginning to dwindle. Then Astrid pulled out a piece of chalk and did a transmutation circle. "What are you doing?"

"Opening a secret door." When she put her hands on it blue sparks began to form, opening the wall to reveal a secret passage way. Jonah looked in awe as he saw stairs heading down to a lower level, but what actually struck him was how he passed this corridor and never noticed a single trace of alchemy on that wall. "Well are you coming, or just stand there like a loon?" Jonah snapped out of it and followed Astrid in to the enveloping darkness.

"This is spooky." Jonah exclaimed.

"Well hang out with me and it'll get terrifying." Jonah didn't feel the least bit comforted as they kept walking down the stair, their footsteps amplified in the cave like pathway. She looked back at Jonah, she could see him glancing around nervously in the Sonic's light, like a child in their first day of school. "Don't tell me you're afraid of the dark." Jonah looked at her, completely offended.

"Of course I'm not scared of the dark… it's what's in the dark that scares me."

"Yes well all species have an irrational fear of the dark no mat-." But she didn't finish for she tripped on the last step. Jonah stood above her, her face flat on the ground, limbs sprawled out from her, and her hair coming undone, the sonic still in her hand.

"Are you okay?" Jonah asked.

"Yes I'm fine; I always love to fall flat on my face, and almost breaking my nose." She responded with thick sarcasm. "Help me up please." He did, then they began walking around the chamber, but all they could see in the dim light were tables with alchemy notes, and transmutation circles carved in to them.

"I guess this is the laboratory." Jonah said.

"Yes it is, but the question is, what sort of experiments did they do?" then they heard a dry, wheezing sound reverting around the lab. They stood stock still, trying to pin point where the sound came from. Then as quick as it came, it was gone. Once again silence except for the sonic.

"What was that?" Jonah asked, fear enveloping him, as he walked backwards, trying to find a light switch, because being in the dark was starting to take its toll, at least until he tripped over a round, solid object, falling on his rump, and hi back hitting the wall. Then he realized h was on a wall; he picked himself up and began searching for a switch. "Jonah where are you?"

"so now you notice I'm gone?" he called out irritated. Then the lights came on revealing the lab. It didn't look very impressive; just a large room with tables and an incredibly large transmutation circle in the center that appeared to have been erased, but was still distinguishable. Jonah looked around for Astrid, who was at another corner, her hand on a light switch. His ego bruised he walked towards the circle. He studied it and recognized a little of the remaining marks, mainly the ones for human transmutation, and the ones in the pod.

"is this where the dean was making his studies?"

"I believe he did more than that." Astrid said, but he didn't hear the Astrid he knew, she had a more serious, sinister almost vengeful tone. He looked towards her, and her face was a mixture of anger and sympathy.

"Astrid." He said as he walked towards her, seeing her more clearly. She was staring something down, he looked too, and saw a sickening sight; a pile of bones that were covered with clothes. He looked around and began noticing more piles of bones, each with clothes from a different era in Amestris's history. Jonah felt horror, and disbelief at the sight of such a horrible, and heinous act, and that its ben happening for decades. Then he noticed a group of bones that appeared to be moving. He moved closer to it, slowly shuffling his way towards it hoping it won't attack. When he got to it, his sick feeling worsened, it was an incredibly old man. His skin looked as though it looked like it were simply stretched across his face, his hair was long and grey, eyes sunken and with a look of pure misery and helplessness, but when he looked at his clothes, his stomach hit the floor. He recognized it as one of the missing party goers outfit, and he looked aged beyond belief. Jonah felt anger begin to overwhelm him, but then he felt a hand on his shoulder that quickly calmed him he stood up and looked in to Astrid's beautiful face, her hair loose and down to her shoulders.

"This makes no sense." He said looking at their clothes. "it looks like this had been happening for decades, And why here?"

"This is a college, a place where people are at the prime of their lives, and also move out of their homes, especially one like this which brings I students from all over the country."

"And I think it's obvious who's doing all of this."

"And you have guessed correctly." He heard Everet from behind him descending the stairs. "do you like my works?"


	6. Confession

**Confession**

"You're a monster" Jonah said to him, his voice shaking with anger and hatred. "why did you do all this?" Everett gave him a malevolent laugh.

"Isn't it obvious?" he said. "Eternal life."

"How long has this been going on?" Everet cocked his head, as though thinking about it like lost count.

"I'd say around three hundred years." The last words caused Jonah's anger to rise.

Astrid stepped forward her face a mask of hatred.

"So you take the lives of innocent people to make yourself younger." It wasn't a question. "But then how did you managed to your secret hidden?"

"Well it's very easy, I just use the DNA from the subjects to merge with my own and change my face."

"But there was a reason for publicly show casing your abomination." She said, understanding beginning set in, and a plan beginning to form. "Because there is only so many times that you can merge and change your genetic material before your body begins to reject it."

"Yeah, what about it." He said; panic beginning to set in, while a smug smile spread across Astrid's face.

"You've already reached yours." she aimed her key at his arm. "and it seems your decomposition has started." And was right; Everett's arm was starting to wrinkle and shrink, as though he were turning to dust. He quickly hid his hand behind him.

"Well it doesn't matter, I don't need to change my face anymore, so my decomposition wont accelerate."

Astrid nodded her smug smile still on her face. "Well perfect plan." She said. "I believe you're forgetting something."

Everett looked confused. "What the hell do you mean?" she kept her smile.

"The cliché of distracting you while help arrives." Just then he turned, and felt something hard and cylindrical hit him square in the face. Perfect timing Jonah." She said as he stepped down the stars an towards her. He looked down at him.

"What are we going to do with him?" he asked, but then they heard a strange growl; it sounded like a cross between a hound, a lion, and a gator, and it sounded really pissed. They looked and saw probably the most hideous creature. Its body stricture was a cross between dog and lion, its front paws were that of a dog with the claws of a cat, and vice versa for the rear. Its face had a dog's snout but cat face, and on the neck was a mane; but most noticeable feature was its scaly back, that lead all the way to an alligator tail. And behind it were more creatures like it.

"Chimeras." Jonah said. "Things are never easy are they?" he said. He and Astrid backed up as far as they could, until they reached a wall. They were trapped, and by then Everet had already regained consciousness.

"That was a cheap trick you know." He said as he approached them, rubbing his head where Jonah had smacked him.

"Well seemed to work on you."

"Yes well that hardly matters since you're about to become chimera food." He said. He signaled to the beasts, and they charged. Jonah could only look as the hideous beasts ran towards him, feeling as though tie had slowed down, he saw their faces in their hideous detail, anger in their faces. But before they reached him something came up from the floor. He looked around wondering what could have happened. It was a transmuted wall, and it was shielding them. He looked and saw Astrid, on her knees, palms on the ground, no transmutation circle. He stared at her, he knew there was only one way to be able to transmute without a circle.

"No time to ask" she said before clapping her hands together and opening a doorway. This way she said and crawled in Jonah did the same.

They walked through the tunnel until they finally reached the hallway to the secret laboratory

"How the hell did you do that without losing a limb?" Jonah asked

"What?"

"The whole transmutation by clapping thing?" he said while gesturing with his hands.

"There are other ways of learning things you know." Astrid said. Then she walked to the hole and sealed it up, once again clapping her hands. "I can show how to do it you know." Then began to leave, Jonah ran up to her.

"Where are you going?"

"To stop the dean."

"And how do you plan on doing that?"

She looked at him over her shoulder. "Come along and find out."

A half hour later they came to Astrid's dorm. "What are we doing here?" Jonah asked as the Time Lady pulled out her key.

"The only way to stop him is to have his work exposed." She puts the key in and turns the lock. "but they'll never listen to us and assume that. We're mad," she opens the door and steps in. so we need to figure out a way to get him to confess and get everyone at the party to hear it." She steps inside her dorm, Jonah follows in.

"But how do we do that?" he asked as she headed in to the closet that had her TARDIS. Seconds later she steps out with a key card.. "I mean he isn't going to admit it in front of a room full of people."

She turned to him, a smile spread across her face, a plan already in action. "we'll trick it out of him." She walked across the dorm to her room, then entered the key, and turned the knob and opened the door, and what Jonah saw he almost couldn't believe.

"It looks like a pile of trash that you jumbled together." And he was right, it was very difficult to describe in detail, although it did look very intricate, like a pile of trash that put together rather than jumbled.

"It may look like that, but I assure you it's more that it looks." Jonah was about to ask her something when they heard footsteps coming in, and If at all possible, they sounded angry.

"Jonah mason I swear you are going to far." Jonah stiffened at the familiar voice. He had never heard Eva this pissed before.

"Didn't you close the door?" Astrid asked as Jonah quickly shut the door to the room they were in.

"I didn't think my best friend would follow us." He responded panicking. Then he realized about the device. "How are going to hide that thing?" then there was a fierce knocking on the door.

"Jonah" she yelled, in a rage that she obviously inherited from her mother. "Jonah get out here this instant, you have no idea what you're getting yourself in to." Jonah wasn't sure what to do, Eva was never this mad with this mad with him before, and she was incredibly terrifying. "I swear if you don't open the door, I'm gonna come in." panic surged through him, if she busts inside.

"Can't you get your girlfriend out of here?" Astrid whispered.

"I never dealt with her like this before. And don't call her my girlfriend."

"That's it if you don't let me in by the count of five! I'm busting in. One!"

"Why is she so nosy?"

"Two!"

"I wish I knew."

"Five!" she finally counted skipping the other two. "Okay now what the hell are you-." But the words caught in her throat as she looked at the device. "What the hell is that thing?" she asked apparently terrified at what she was looking at. But before they could explain, she started going out of control. "oh my god, you're planning on taking over the college! And you-."

"Eva, listen to me." Jonah said shaking her by the shoulders. "it's not what you think.

"Oh my god she got to you and now you're some kind of slave to her."

_Damn it he's never seen her like this before _Jonah thought.

"Allow me Mr. Mason." Astrid said as she casually pushed him aside. _I really don't want to do this_ she thought, but there was no other faster alternative, especially given her hysterical state. Then out of nowhere she head slammed Eva, it hurt like hell, but at the same time a stream of memories flowed through her mind, each one a different experience, a new scene, it was not her memories, but at the same time they were, but in that same instance she came back to her reality, a throbbing pain in her fore head suddenly becoming aware of what was happening.

"Ouch, wait what was that? What did you do?" Astrid, who was also nursing her head with her shared pain, told her.

"Sharing past experiences through telepathy, it was the fastest way you could understand what was happening." And before Eva could talk, she once again head slammed her, once again pouring all her knowledge and experiences.

"Ouch, so you're a time traveling alien helping people in trouble?"

"Yes I am."

"And you've had a previous form?"

"Yes, I'm number two."

"And the dean has been sucking the life out of student. "by this point Eva had calmed down and started to think more clearly.

"Okay, so you're not here to invade, that a good thing."

"Yes could it be any more obvious?" she responded viciously.

"Okay, don't get so pissy." She apologized. "So this plan you have in mind, how can I help?"

"Well let's see." And she recited the plan and in a matter of minutes they had everything formulated and ready.

"Okay now that everything's set, let's move."

* * *

"I never knew you could get so hysterical." Jonah told Eva as they walked down the hall. She looked away embarrassed.

"Well I'm unpredictable my mother always told me."

"Alright you two." Astrid said as soon as they got to the party. "Do you remember your posts?"

* * *

Everett stood among his admirers shifting his weight from one foot to another, completely uneasy. He needed to find Delany and mason fast, along with destroying the lab, but making sure to keep his notes hidden. He had come too far to just let his unplanned fame come to a sudden end. Then he felt a familiar presence.

"Mr. Green may take this dance?" said a thickly accented voice behind him.

"Hello Ms. Delany," he said as he turned, seeing a smug smile on her face that was starting to tick him off. "Of course you can." He took her hand and stepped to the dance floor; they moved and danced in unison, barley missing a step, each movement complementing the other. "You know that you can't stop me." He threatened silently so only the both of them can hear.

"What makes you say that?" she asked although she already knew the answer.

"Because they'll always take my word over yours."

"And what of that lab you have beneath this place?"

"I'll just incinerate it; I still have my notes, I can live for as long as I want without breaking the taboo."

"By sucking the youth out of college students who are far from home?"

"Yes, and I can keep doing it without anyone the wiser."

"So you're saying that everyone is too oblivious to pay any attention to you?"

"You probably think you're so smart don't you; Hoping to expose me with a dance."

"Well the dance is part of it, but not the whole thing." Those word hade him panic.

"What do you mean?"

"Spoilers." She said as she flashed another smile. "Well it appears that your song is ending soon." He scoffed at her words as the final note played out and she departed. He immediately knew what she meant as she simply walked away among the crowd of people, while he was stick in place, unable to go after her. But let a few second of appearances ruin him, so ignoring his standards he went after her following her to the hall in the back that led to the laboratory, down the stairs to see Mason and Elric standing feet from each other faces stoic.

"Can't you see that you cannot stop me?"

"We know that's not true." Eva said.

"How do you know that? When your friends left I had a half hour all the evidence either destroyed or hidden."

"By hidden you mean lock and key, along with a code that only you know." Jonah asked.

"Why of course."

"And do you remember the location of the safe?" Astrid said coming out of the shadows, once again with the smug smile.

"Why all the questions? And yes I do know the location, only me."

"Well that's good." She said. "We don't want anyone else getting a hold of it."

"What do you mean?" He asked in sheer annoyance. Astrid simply pointed down, he followed to where she pointed and what he saw had sent sheer terror through him. It was a transmutation circle, and on the other side was his latest subject just barely breathing.

"We won't expose you, but you do have to pay for what you have done." And before he could make his escape, a light enveloped him, he began to feel his body begin to fall apart, his molecular structure start to lose its hold on one a another, he looked at his hands, they were nothing but ashes and bust barley holding on, then severe pain followed as he fell to his knees that crumbled on impact sending the rest of him crumbling to dust, until that was all left of him, and the tuxedo he had worn. Meanwhile, the young man o the other side woke up, his body restored back to original form. Barley able to sit up he looked around.

"What's going on?" he asked.

"It's a long story" Eva said as she picked him up. Later that night, when the dean did not return and went to look for him, they found his lab, empty for the pile of dust on the ground that was once him. Since he hid his notes somewhere that only he knew, Authorities and alchemists assumed that his research wasn't very thorough, which resulted in his predicament.

Jonah, Eva, Astrid, and all the party goers looked as the ashes of what was Everett green was carried in an urn, ready to be given a funerary service on campus in the next few weeks. As for the man they saved, they put him in an alley way where police found him, saying that he had no memory, but really he agreed to keep quiet of what had happened

The next day they were in Astrid's dorm, thinking about the night before.

"I don't see why we didn't just send his own confession through the campus loudspeakers." Jonah said.

"If we were to do that, then we had probably put yet another bad mark on alchemy, and the ways its used." She actually made a convincing statement. "Well what now?"

"I promised my parents that next chance I get I'll visit them." She said.

They told her bye as she left out the door. Now it was Jonah and Astrid, the both of them in the room alone.

"Don't you have a place to go?" Astrid asked him after a short while.

"No; my parent won't mind if I'm not there. What about you?" Astrid had to think about it before she finally said something.

"I have a ship that travels through anywhere in the universe, so anywhere is possible." She paused before continuing. "But it does get lonely when you're on your own." He picked up on he message.

"You want me to join you?" she nodded her head. Jonah felt exited at what he was offered, but he knew he couldn't accept it. "I'd love to, but I still have my classes and friends to consider.

"Oh don't worry about that." She said.

"What do you mean?"

"The TARDIS is also a time machine." Jonah scoffed at that.

"Time travel is impossible, I still haven't perfected it." Astrid gave him one of he smug smiles and went to the red box in the closet where he heard the odd sound again, then he saw it rematerialize in the middle of the room, he finally got a good look at it without the confined space it was in. then Astrid walked out, her hair in a ponytail, bringing Jonah a flash back. "But how?"

"Time machine." She said, and it was all he needed to be convinced. He stepped inside aching to see the whole universe before him. He looked at Astrid who was at the console ready to set directions, and all she said was.

"all of time and space, everything that ever happened or ever will. Where do you want to start?"


End file.
